Hawks down capital hopes

GLASGOW HAWKS 34-12 Watsonians

IF spring was in the air in the west end of Glasgow so always was enough rain to make the surface greasy and the portents difficult to determine. Myreside had already proved a greasy pole for the Hawks back in the autumn and the Edinburgh side was relatively unchanged.

On the other hand, a strong Heriot's side had come unstuck in the cup at New Anniesland when the home forwards had stripped the Goldenacre boys down to their bare essentials.

As the match began so the blustery wind freshened and cooled with the huge Hawks flag fluttering above the old pavilion and the home side apparently taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

A veritable bombardment of Watsonian territory was led by Eugene Martin at stand-off who in these early stages proceeded to embark on a series of rollicking runs, which signalled a clear declaration of intent. So it was little surprise when the Hawks had 13 points on the board in 15 minutes.

After a Martin surge, Campbell Aitken - who was to have a splendid afternoon with the boot - missed his first kick at goal from hardly a difficult position. It came back off the upright but seconds later he was afforded another opportunity from which he made no such mistake. Thereafter he was infallible.

The first try soon followed when, after exemplary ball retention, Davie Wilson eased outside a member of the Watsonian front row in open field and Aitken's conversion was soon followed by his second penalty.

Thirteen-nil and the visitors' captain Nick Penny was off the field for good with a leg injury. Things were looking wintry for Watsonians, spring-like for the Hawks.

But a blink of sunlight was a harbinger of hope for the Edinburgh team as they gradually but determinedly fought their way back into this game.

In the second quarter they closed the gap with three penalty goals all kicked by their neat and tidy stand-off Bruce Aitchison, who was the beneficiary not only of a crisp service from scrum-half Black but increasingly consistent ball from his pack, of whom Gregor Hayter and Gordon Dickson were conspicuous providers. If Hayter's interpretation of the role of lock is a little too liberal for many, yet his plentiful appearances at the fringes and beyond added colour to an increasingly grey spectacle.

For the home side the maverick in the pack is as always the Irish New Zealander Gavin Walsh who, it has to be said, put himself about the Old Anniesland paddock, particularly at close quarters! His various inquiries of the referee -Ian Ramage, on international duty at Cardiff last week - were hardly out of character but occasioned by a quite extraordinary sequence of penalties against his side.

These had the effect of providing considerable heart to Watsonians who had almost closed the gap and now went about their task with renewed vigour and alacrity. Possibly they could hardly believe that they were still in a game they thought long gone. Such is the way of rugby.

And precisely when Hawks' supporters were looking uneasily at each other in what was now a very chill wind they were given something to cheer about. Right wing Kenny Baillie made a brilliant difficult catch under pressure and chipped up the touchline. For once, his forwards were quick to support and fast recycling prov-ided the impetus for the whole pack to drive over - the captain Scott Hutton being given the touch. Aitken's conversion made it 29 and Watsonians were non-plussed.

Despite yeoman service being provided by Scott Hastings and deft touches executed by Marcus Di Rollo there was only one more penalty after 61 minutes from the boot of Aitchison prior to the Hawks' coup de grace as they closed in style with two classy tries both converted from well out by Aitken.

First, in 68 minutes Rory McKay took great lineout ball, the forwards rolled and rumbled and a dextrous Martin loop bemused the Watsonians defence prior to a lateral intrusion from Baillie who romped home.

And despite Watsonians' valiant if valedictory efforts, especially Di Rollo who was tap-tackled by Greg Francis when clear, the Hawks took their bonus point after infinite recycling - perhaps 10 in a row - and Martin fired a huge pass to the outstanding No 8 Andy Plastow loitering on the left wing to leave Watsonians flabbergasted.

How do they do that?

Glasgow Hawks: C Aitken; K Baillie, D Wilson, C Simmers (R Mundy 70 mins), G Hawkes (T Matthewson 51); E Martin, K Sinclair; C Hanvey (L McIntyre 55), C Docherty, G Walsh, I Smith, R McKay, S Hutton (captain), R Neven (G Francis 71), A Plastow.

Watsonians: A Olsen, C Armitage, S Hastings, M Di Rollo, J Kerr (A Garry 60), B Aitchison, C Black, D Milne, K Stuart, G Scott, P McGinley, G Hayter, G Dickson, H Kydd, N Penny (captain, P Raeburn 15).

Referee: Ian Ramage (Berwick).

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.